This year, the girls are in smaller groups, and my daughter seems to have struggled with this change. Her ‘best friend’ has started spending a lot of time with a girl from another class outside of school because they live close to each other. My daughter is not being excluded in any way but is extremely jealous of their friendship. We tend to see significant shifts in friendships for children (especially girls) between the ages of seven and nine. Your daughter is aware that her best friend is forming a strong connection with someone else she sees a lot outside of school.

Source: Irish Examiner January 27, 2026 23:05 UTC